Schenectady man pleads guilty to rape, arson

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- A Schenectady man pleaded guilty to first-degree rape, first-degree attempted rape, and second-degree arson. Dakiem Demonia, 21, will be sentenced to 10 years in prison for each guilty plea, totaling 30 years.

Demonia pleaded guilty to pulling a knife on a woman on May 27 to try and force her to engage in sexual acts with him at his home. The victim was cut with the knife while trying to flee but successfully fled.

When police arrived they reported that security footage and the cut on the woman's arm corroborated the story. The suspect had fled the scene before police got there.

The defendant also pleaded guilty to returning to his home on May 29 in the middle of the night and setting fire to his multi-unit apartment while other residents were inside and asleep. The Schenectady County District Attorney's Office said this fire appeared to have been set in retaliation to eviction proceedings from the landlord.

The apartment was not engulfed in flames but there was significant smoke and other damage. This damage required the other residents to temporarily move out. Demonia had fled before police got to the scene but was found to be the arsonist through security footage.

Lastly, Demonia pleaded guilty to pulling a knife on, choking, and sexually assaulting someone in a wooded area on May 31. He then stole her purse and fled the scene.

Police searched for Demonia and when spotted, he fled, leading to a foot pursuit. This pursuit ended in him being taken down by police K-9 Leonidas before being arrested by officers.

The sentences for his crimes will be served consecutively. Demonia will also serve 20 years of parole upon being released, and register as a sex offender for the rest of his life. Full orders of protection will be issued for the victims for the maximum amount of time allowed by the law.